


A Mother's Love

by wrote_and_writ



Series: Random Fandom Twelve Days of Stories: Nice Series [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 04:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17053124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrote_and_writ/pseuds/wrote_and_writ
Summary: Harry and Narcissa have a conversation that's been a long time coming. Or, I want people to be happy.(As always, I don't knit gauge swatches and I don't beta my fics because I live dangerously. Sorry if there are mistakes. I'll find them eventually.)





	A Mother's Love

“Welcome home, darling.” Narcissa kissed Draco’s cheek. “Mr. Potter,” she said to Harry, her tone cool enough to feel, but not freezing. An improvement.

“Mother.” Draco’s voice held a note of warning. 

“Draco, my love, I have tea waiting. Fenton will see to your bags. I’ve aired out your room. And M-Harry, we’ve prepared the east wing guest suite for you. I’m sure you’ll find it most suitable.”

Draco moved to reply, but Harry squeezed his hand. 

“Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy. Your hospitality is always appreciated.” _Two can play at this game,_ he thought. 

Seven years. Seven years they’d been together. He wished, for Draco’s sake if not his own, that he could build a bridge between Narcissa and himself. Still, the east wing was a major improvement. When he and Draco first began dating, she put Harry up in the old shepherd’s cottage at the edge of the property, nearly a kilometer away. Not that distance was an issue when one could simply apparate, and they didn’t have to keep the noise down like they did whenever they visited the Burrow. Still, it was a statement. But now, he was in the main house.

The tea was lovely. Narcissa was unfailingly polite. It would have been the perfect hostess for a tea with strangers or charity collectors. Draco strained at the tension, so Harry kept his hand on Draco’s knee. He really didn’t want a scene. 

Finally, the delicate cakes had vanished and they were left with a pot of cooling jasmine tea. Harry kept catching Narcissa’s eye and noticed her flinch each time. Harry couldn’t stand it any longer. 

“Draco,” he said, his voice pleasant and light, “would you go get that thing we brought for your mother? The thing we found in Athens? It’s in my bag.”

Draco gave him a look. Harry gave him a Look back. Draco nodded, excused himself from the table, and walked serenely from the room. Harry turned to Narcissa as soon as the door closed. 

“Mrs. Malfoy, I--”

“I loved my husband very much, Mr. Potter. Very much.”

Harry didn’t know how to respond, so he simply nodded.

“Even with … everything …” she said with an elegant wave of her hand, “I loved him. He had his flaws, of course.”

Harry waited, unwilling to risk losing her confidence.

Narcissa sighed. “Lucius was weak, Mr. Potter. Harry. He was a weak and small-minded man, and I loved him anyway. But not as much as I love my son.” She fell into a silence that stretched into uncomfortable tension. Harry took a risk and broke it. 

“Mrs. Malfoy, I love Draco.” He wanted to say more, but he couldn’t get past those words, weighted with every desire, hope, and fear he had. “I love him.” He looked at the cup and saucer in his hands. The delicate bone china with the Black family crest on the side. 

Narcissa stood and moved to sit beside Harry on the divan. She took the cup and saucer from him, set them on the table, and took his hands. 

“Tell me again,” she said, her voice rough with emotion.

Harry turned to look Narcissa in the eye. “I love Draco.”

Narcissa held his gaze and allowed a few tears to fall before swiping them away. 

Harry was at a complete loss, but Narcissa behaved as if nothing unusual had happened.

“You must understand, Harry, because I loved Lucius, I thought I had to accept him just as he was, everything about him. Every dark, weak, petty, angry, beautiful, loving thing about him, all at once. I thought -- I hoped he would be strong, for Draco’s sake if not for mine. But you know that he wasn’t in the end.

“I don’t want that for my son. You tell me that you love him, but do you love him enough to stop him, if it came to that?”

Harry put a hand under Narcissa’s chin so he could be sure she was looking at him. 

“Mrs. Malfoy. Narcissa.” He paused. He had no map for this sort of conversation, no reference. Well, his instinct had served him well in the past. He took a breath and continued. 

“You forget, Draco isn’t Lucius. He isn’t just his father’s son. He’s yours, too.”

“Harry.”

“I love Draco. For himself and all his many and various flaws,” he said, giving her a crooked smile. “As he does mine, I hope. But his heart? It broke. And he’s let it grow again. He’s letting himself heal. And I’ll do everything I can to protect that. I swear.”

Narcissa allowed herself a real smile at last. 

“Besides, you know we go to therapy, right? Hermione made it a mandatory part of the job for Aurors. It...it’s helped a lot. We’re not doing this on our own.”

“Draco did mention it. You feel it was useful?”

“It saved my life,” Harry said fervently. “It saved our relationship.”

Narcissa turned to the door. “Odd that Draco’s taking so long.”

“Oh, we didn’t bring anything. That’s our code for when one of us needs some space. I imagine he’s waiting for me in his room. I just thought it would be a good idea if we could have a chat. He’ll be annoyed I’ve kept him waiting, but I’ll make it up to him.”

Narcissa gave him a full, beautiful smile then. “Aren’t you cunning?”

“Mrs. Malfoy, can--”

“Narcissa, darling. Do call me Narcissa.”

Harry blushed. “Narcissa. Can I just ask you something?”

“Why do I make you and Draco sleep in separate rooms when you visit?”

“Well, yeah. He said you...accepted him.”

“Oh, my darling boy.” Narcissa laughed. “Harry, dear, I am rather old fashioned, but I’m not _that_ old fashioned. No, we knew Draco preferred boys before he did, I imagine. No, as I said. I am old fashioned. You’ll be moved into a new suite together when you and Draco get married, dear.”

Harry had timed his sip of tea poorly. He choked on a mouthful. Narcissa murmured sympathetically and patted him on the back.

“Is that all?” he asked when he managed to catch his breath.

“That’s all, I’m afraid. Besides, I can’t imagine that twin bed is at all comfortable.”

Harry blushed and mumbled, “We manage.”

“I’m sure you do,” she replied primly, a faint blush staining her cheeks. “But I’m exercising my privilege as his mother to meddle in my son’s love life a bit. Though I do hope, now that we’ve had a chance to clear the air, that you don’t wait too long. I would love to plan a wedding.”

Harry’s blush deepend. “You will be the very first to know. I promise.”

“Well, that’s just fine.” Narcissa patted Harry’s arm gently. “Off you go, then. Go and soothe Draco’s temper. Mind you, dinner is at seven thirty. I’ve invited Andromeda and Teddy round. I expect you both to be prompt and presentable.”

“Of course, Mrs. M-- Narcissa.” Harry kissed her cheek, then paused and wrapped her up in a hug. “Thank you.”


End file.
